AE Scholarship Promotes Personal Financial Planning Career Path at K-State

Kansas State University Senior Jayde Madel is looking ahead to a bright future in a profession she didn't initially consider. Thanks, in part to Advisors Excel's Women and Minority Scholarship, she's graduating with a Personal Financial Planning degree in May and already has a job lined up.

A Washburn Rural High School graduate, Madel heard about the $5,000 scholarship available for Shawnee County Students through a friend in the industry. Advisors Excel started the scholarship in 2020 to help more women and minorities get introduced to the profession. To date, eight scholarship recipients are enrolled in the nationally-ranked Personal Financial Planning program.

"What drew me to the profession is the one-on-one planning I will do with families, helping them create their ideal financial future," said Madel. "I'm so appreciative to Advisors Excel and K-State for helping me get to this point in a career I'm passionate about."

"For the more than 20 years I've been in the financial services industry, there have been many discussions about the lack of minorities and women in the profession," said Advisors Excel Co-Founder Cody Foster. "By creating the scholarship at K-State, we want to take a proactive approach in recruiting women and minority students from Shawnee County to the Personal Financial Planner profession."

The nationally-ranked Personal Financial Planning department at Kansas State University prepares students for careers in the financial services industry. With on-campus and online degree programs, the coursework provides students with the technical expertise in investment, tax, insurance, and retirement planning and the interpersonal communication skills needed to help individuals and families pursue their financial and life goals. The undergraduate, master's, graduate certificate, and Ph.D. programs are CFP Board registered, allowing students to sit for the certification exam upon graduation.

We are thankful for the investment and impact that the AE Scholarship Initiative has had," said Dr. Martin Seay, department head and associate professor of Personal Financial Planning at Kansas State University. "These scholarships have helped to support students in their professional careers but also increased the supply of financial advisors to serve Topekans and Kansans overall."